28-Aug-2011

Up to Dates

Fruit of the Desert

Looking for a healthy, fiber-filled snack to boost your energy? Get up to date with dates—the “fruit of the desert.” The date palm, considered sacred to ancient peoples, provided an amazing food source for our ancestors, as well as modern families on the go. A serving of dates provides energy-stoking carbohydrates along with potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining muscle and heart function. Dates are a great source of B-complex for regulating blood glucose levels. 

Here are some more benefits: High-fiber, low-cholesterol, fat-free dates help with weight loss and work as a natural laxative.You'll find fresh dates in your produce section...select plump fruit with unbroken skins. Add dates to home-baked breads or muffins, chop them up to use in couscous or rice dishes (chill dates to make them easier to chop) or try stuffing them with whole almonds, chopped pecans or crystallized ginger. Take a few dates along to boost your energy while exercising or hiking. Don’t forget the humble date…a power-packed food of the gods!

Date Recipes (PDF) (270 KB)

Recommended: Date Recipes by Rick Heetland